No, we don’t mean microprocessor as in computer processor. Stunning new images from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Joshua-Tor lab show how a protein complex known as Microprocessor interacts with differently shaped molecules called primary microRNAs. The findings may help illustrate these influential molecules’ impact on health and disease.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University examined the mechanical wear of digging valves located at the tip of the female locust’s abdomen, used to dig pits for laying eggs 3 to 4 times during her lifetime. They found that, unlike organs with remarkably high wear resistance, such as the mandible (lower jaw), the valves wear down substantially due to the intensive digging.

Biology textbooks may need a revision, say Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists, who present new evidence that an armlike structure of mammalian brain cells may be a different shape than scientists have assumed for more than a century. 

Scientists now know how many bonobos live in one of the largest pristine tropical forests, a place believed to be the world’s stronghold for the endangered species. The research, conducted over two decades by a team of 48 scientists, estimates that between 8,000 to 18,000 adult bonobos inhabit Salonga National Park in the DRC. Although the population has remained stable since 2000, there are signs of potential decline. The study led by researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB) also identifies specific factors that have a positive effect on bonobo numbers, offering concrete measures for conserving bonobos across their range.

Despite their tiny size, viruses have a significant and rippling impact throughout all facets of life, including that of the deep sea. Deep-sea viruses are no doubt understudied, but some facts known about their existence might give future researchers some insight into climate-related changes on a global level, such as the relationship between deep-sea viruses and the global ocean environment. Uncovering the significance of their community structure, host interactions and ecological functions and impacts are pivotal to the understanding of how these deep-sea dwellers can affect life both above and below the surface.

 

 

Climbing a giant tree with a harness and a helmet is one way to check on an eagle nest, but there are other ways. Drones offer an efficient, safe, and hands-off option for surveying raptor nests, according to a Conservation Letter recently published in the Journal of Raptor Research titled “The Use of Drones in Raptor Research.” Following an extensive literature survey, authors of the letter make a compelling case for drone usage in nest studies for various raptor species.

When wild capuchin monkeys experience experience higher temperatures, the performance of their generalized immune system declines. This study illustrates how climate change many impact animals.